Muddy Waters

In this episode of the Muddy Waters Podcast, Chuck Ellis speaks with Leyland Streiff, leader of the Maine Girl Dads coalition and the principal petitioner behind the Protect Girls Sports in Maine citizen initiative. Leyland explains how the proposed ballot measure would define sex based on the original birth certificate and designate school sports, bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers accordingly...

Matthew Leggett from Lebanon, Maine joins Chuck Ellis to share how he got involved in local politics after seeing wasteful spending on a new fire station and major problems in his children’s school district. From sky-high school taxes (82% of the town budget) and declining academics to heavy emphasis on DEI and gender ideology over basic skills, Matt explains why he started showing up, organizing...

Sarah Doten, a Freeport mom and former student of the local schools, joins Chuck Ellis to recount her experience with the Human Growth and Development curriculum in RSU5.In 2019, after months of seeking curriculum details ahead of her daughter's 8th grade year and receiving evasive answers, Sarah learned that Through These Doors had visited the classroom. The two-day session included discussio...

Jon Fetherston of The Maine Wire joins Chuck Ellis for an unfiltered discussion on Maine politics. Topics include: Graham Platner polling far ahead of Janet Mills, the chaotic Democratic Senate primary, Legislature dysfunction with a new "millionaire's tax" and taxpayer-funded home security for lawmakers, Flock cameras, ranked-choice voting issues, and how rising energy/gas prices fr...

Chuck Ellis sits down with Nicolas Hamlin, Republican candidate for Maine House District 49.A veteran from a deeply patriotic military family, Nicolas started a charity softball game in 2013 to honor his father and help homeless veterans. The event has raised over $130,000 for Maine veterans in need, but Nicolas realized the real issue is failed policy — not a lack of money. He discusses fighting...

Chuck Ellis interviews Ben Porter, Republican candidate for Maine Senate District 23.A 25-year Army veteran with combat experience and Special Operations background, Ben later worked in cybersecurity at the U.S. Treasury, where he fixed broken programs and saved taxpayers significant money through better contracting and oversight. Now he’s running to bring that same discipline and service mindset...

Chuck Ellis welcomes Jon Fetherston of The Maine Wire back to the Muddy Waters Podcast. They recap the Maine Republican gubernatorial debate, discuss the crowded but strong field of candidates, and explain why this election could shape the state for the next decade. Topics include failing schools, rampant government fraud, activist policies, and why local races (school boards, city councils, Augus...

In Episode 159 of the Muddy Waters Podcast, host Chuck Ellis is joined by Aaron Chadbourne for a detailed breakdown of the recent Maine Republican gubernatorial debate hosted by The Maine Wire in Bangor. They analyze standout performances from candidates including Bobby Charles, Owen McCarthy, Ben Miggley, Jonathan Bush, Garrett Mason, and others. The conversation covers: Who gained the most groun...

In Episode 158 of the Muddy Waters Podcast, host Chuck Ellis talks with Amy Susman and Destiny Johnson about the handling of donations after the 2023 Lewiston mass shooting. Amy, whose nephew Max Hathaway was one of the 18 killed, explains how she discovered that nearly $1.9 million of the $6.6 million raised by the Maine Community Foundation went to 29 local nonprofits (roughly $65,000 each), whi...

In this powerful episode of the Muddy Waters Podcast, host Chuck Ellis interviews Kenny “The Maverick” Cianchette, candidate for Maine State Senate District 26.Kenny opens up about his 2024 run, the underhanded politics he faced, and why he’s running again — this time with more experience, better organization, and zero tolerance for excuses on the child welfare crisis. Key topics:• Tim Nangle’s br...

Jon Fetherston and Chuck Ellis react to Gov. Janet Mills' new attack ad blasting Graham Platner over 2013 Reddit posts blaming rape victims ("not get so f—ked up..." / "act like an adult"). Ad resurfaces old controversies (tattoo, etc.)—is this the end of Platner's lead? Dems must distance or own it. Discussion covers: Democrat hypocrisy on "morality" & vi...

Good afternoon, Maine! Host Chuck Ellis sits down with Nathan Mahalik, a stay-at-home dad and candidate for the MSAD 52 school board (representing Leeds in the towns of Leeds, Greene, and Turner). Nathan shares his journey from 14 years in leadership at Hannaford to becoming a full-time dad to three boys, coaching T-ball, and stepping up to run for office—not out of ambition, but duty to ensure ki...

Peter Violette joins Chuck Ellis to share his story and platform as a Republican candidate for Maine Senate District 26 (primary June 9, 2026). Lifelong Mainer (Aroostook roots, Windham resident) with 20 years logging, MSW/social work (foster care/DHHS experience), and 14+ years running in-home senior care agency. He runs because he's not giving up on Maine: Fix skyrocketing costs (taxes, hous...

Jon Fetherston joins Chuck Ellis to dissect Governor Janet Mills' late-Friday response to federal MaineCare probes. Federal audit reveals $46M improper payments for autism services—100% errors in claims. Mills calls it political attack from Trump/Dr. Oz; critics see deflection from rampant fraud, ignored warnings, and taxpayer theft. Discussion covers: Imminent federal hammer: Funding cuts, re...

Janet Beaudoin lost Maine HD94 special by just 69 votes (503–572), winning Election Day but crushed on absentees (155–246). In this raw debrief, she lays out her no-excuses strategy to fix the Republican turnout gap: QR codes on everything linking straight to absentee requests—scan and submit on the spot. Call it “early voting” to sidestep resistance. Make personal asks during doors: “Request your...

In Episode 151, Chuck Ellis and Jon Fetherston (The Maine Wire) expose rampant MaineCare fraud: empty "zombie" offices billing millions, 100% misbilling in autism programs, and Governor Mills' alleged protection of nonprofit allies. From Portland drug deals to Lewiston decay, taxpayer theft is hurting real Mainers. Plus: Nirav Shah's "free" promises, COVID fallout, and...

Host Chuck Ellis talks with William Austin, volunteer Campaign Manager for Robert Wessels' Republican bid for Maine Governor in 2026. Austin, a Midwest transplant and full-time volunteer, explains why he believes Wessels—a genuine outsider focused on spending cuts, parental rights, and education reform—is uniquely positioned to flip the state red through humble, collaborative campaigning. Disc...

In this episode of the Muddy Waters Podcast, host Chuck Ellis interviews Joshua Pietrowicz, a Republican candidate running in Maine’s 1st Congressional District primary to challenge incumbent Democrat Chellie Pingree in the 2026 election. Josh shares his journey—from grassroots runs as an independent to going full-time on this race after leaving his sales job—and lays out his platform to **Make Am...

Maine's Medicaid system is bleeding taxpayer dollars through rampant fraud and neglect—tens of millions in improper MaineCare billing for autism services, ghost home health agencies collecting millions while leaving vulnerable residents in freezing, filthy conditions, and zero accountability from the Mills administration. In Episode 148 of Muddy Waters, Chuck Ellis interviews Jon Fetherston of...

Host Chuck Ellis sits down with Rep. Joshua Morris for a raw look at the incompetence, corruption, and beholden interests plaguing Maine's Democrat-controlled Augusta. Topics include: Governor Mills' fossil fuel blame game and "renewable" pushes COVID-era overreach, business shutdowns, and unaccountable officials Special interest money, Big Labor dominance, and anti-business poli...

Host Chuck Ellis sits down with former senior policy advisor to Gov. Paul LePage, Aaron Chadbourne, for a no-holds-barred look at the 2026 Maine gubernatorial election. With Janet Mills term-limited after nearly eight years of Democratic control in Augusta, Republicans are fired up with one of the largest, most qualified fields in recent memory. Aaron and Chuck map out the "lanes" shapin...

Robert Wessels made history as the first Republican on the 2026 Maine ballot—2,200+ volunteer signatures in record time, no big donors. He joins Chuck Ellis to expose media bias, Maine's affordability crisis (energy bills, taxes, housing), and his plan for limited government, lower costs, and real change. Discover why grassroots beats big money in this must-hear talk. To learn more about Rober...

Nathan Reardon, longtime Maine business owner, recounts his federal case over a $59k PPP loan: what he sees as politically motivated lawfare tied to his Trump support, Christian faith, and Bangor prominence. Key points: Loan used for real payroll/expenses; eligible and under-claimed. Agent intimidation, media hits, firearm removal, no-bail jail time. Plea coercion, 20-month sentence (far harsher t...

Host Chuck Ellis welcomes Sean Packard, a foster care survivor turned advocate and 28-year-old Republican running for State Representative in Waterville's District 64. Sean discusses his journey reforming Maine's child welfare system as a teen, his push for independent DHHS oversight, education changes (performance-based teaching, AI-personalized learning, ditching standardized tests for c...

Josh Tabor, MSAD 60 school board member, shares his unfiltered fight against district policies on preferred pronouns, bathroom choices, and girls' private spaces—policies he says clash with biology, free speech, and student safety. From viral videos questioning student suspensions for "misgendering" based on observable facts, to board resistance blocking international gender experts,...